At the recent CFC “Center Court” presentations ceremony were (from l) Tony De Cristofaro, executive director of the CFC of the National Capital Area; NIDCR director Dr. Lawrence Tabak, holding the Million Dollar Circle Award; and NIH director Dr. Elias Zerhouni.

NIH won two first-place awards in the annual communications contest sponsored by the Combined Federal Campaign of the National Capital Area. NIH was honored in the Executive and Leadership Involvement category for engaging the agency’s senior leadership in CFC campaign events and activities. These included an IC directors’ basketball free-throw challenge, in which each director had a chance to see how many baskets he or she could make in 30 seconds. NIH director Dr. Elias Zerhouni was on hand to referee the event. He also proved his support by fulfilling a vow to grow a beard if NIH surpassed last year’s CFC contributions and was featured on a campaign poster making a “slam dunk” for the CFC. NIDCR director Dr. Lawrence Tabak, whose institute headed the 2006 campaign, participated in several free-throw competitions around NIH, challenging fellow NIH’ers to “give it their best shot” for charity.

NIH was also honored in the Best Photography and Use of Images category for “Can You Give It Your Best Shot Too?”—a poster that featured photos of Zerhouni and IC directors and deputy directors shooting hoops.

‘Center Court Presentations’ Honor CFC Coordinators

Tabak (l) and Zerhouni (far r) appear with the Divas and Dudes cheering squad at the recent CFC awards ceremony in Wilson Hall. The two, as well as the cheering squad, are wearing fake beards in honor of Zerhouni’s promise to grow a beard if NIH surpassed last year’s CFC contributions.

NIH’s version of March Madness was in full swing on Mar. 27 when CFC campaign coordinators gathered for a “Center Court” awards ceremony in Wilson Hall, which was decked out like a basketball court in keeping with the campaign’s theme. They had plenty to celebrate: the NIH campaign raised a record $2.1 million for charity and employee participation reached 57 percent, the highest rate in recent memory.

Both Zerhouni and Tabak were on hand for the ceremony. The proceedings got under way with a performance by the Divas and Dudes cheering squad. Yvonne duBuy, former NIDCR executive officer and cheering squad matriarch, led the group onto the court for its farewell performance.

Zerhouni, introduced by Tabak as “the Commissioner of NIH Basketball, or The Commish,” thanked everyone for their efforts in raising 131 percent of the NIH goal. Zerhouni noted that “our success here at NIH means that hundreds of charities will be able to do their work in the community, across the country and around the world.”

Also on hand to offer congratulations and thanks were Robert McSwain, deputy director of the Indian Health Service, the lead agency for the DHHS CFC campaign; Tony De Cristofaro, executive director of the CFC of the National Capital Area; and Marita Eddy from Angel Flight, a CFC charity that coordinates flights for NIH patients.